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Wisconsin teens with autism write a children’s book about basketball

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Wisconsin teens with autism write a children’s book about basketball


Keira Thompson “loves, loves, loves” basketball. The 15-year-old from Brookfield was launched to the game when she was 10. She loves that there is all the time motion happening within the recreation, she loves her teammates and coaches and he or she loves studying new abilities.

However Keira’s favourite sport hasn’t all the time come simply for her. Keira is on the autism spectrum and in addition has international apraxia, which suggests motor actions are troublesome for her.

“Any kind of bodily motion or new ability has concerned plenty of follow and dedication by Keira,” mentioned Beckie Thompson, Keira’s mother. “I am extremely pleased with what she accomplishes as a result of virtually every thing has been a wrestle.”

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When Keira was 8, her occupational therapist really useful she be a part of Particular Olympics, a company that gives sports activities coaching and competitors alternatives for folks with disabilities. At first, she discovered primary abilities like methods to kick a soccer ball. Finally, she would transfer on to group sports activities. After dismissing sports activities like baseball — she thinks there’s an excessive amount of downtime — Keira discovered “her sport.”

Keira Thompson, who wrote a children's book about her love of basketball, plays with her Special Olympics team.

“Keira has a present for basketball, and he or she’s spent plenty of time training and training to be good at it,” mentioned Beckie. ” And it could not have been a greater factor for her when it comes to confidence, socialization and creating management abilities.”

‘Mila and the Too Laborious Hoop’

Basketball additionally taught Keira that arduous work is worth it when the purpose is one thing precious to an individual, and that is a lesson she tapped into when she got down to accomplish her subsequent challenge — writing a youngsters’s ebook.

“Mila and the Too Laborious Hoop” is an image ebook a couple of monster named Mila who — identical to Keira — loves basketball, rainbows and her dragon stuffed animal.

Each day, Mila tries to make a basket in her driveway basketball hoop. She tries standing on a chair, she tries with completely different coloured basketballs (she has one for each colour of the rainbow) and he or she tries after getting coached by her older sister. 

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Each day she fails to make a basket, and the web page ends together with her declaration that “Basketball is simply too arduous.” Then she goes to her room to hug her stuffed dragon, who she imagines is encouraging her to attempt once more the subsequent day.

Keira Thompson, who wrote a children's book about her struggles learning to play basketball, practices making shots in her driveway in Brookfield.

Lastly, Mila decides to attempt 20 occasions to make a basket. When that does not work, she tries 20 occasions the subsequent day. Lastly, she makes a basket. And the story ends with, “Basketball is tough, however it’s not too arduous for me.”

“It was fascinating to me when Keira got here up with these scenes,” mentioned Beckie. “One factor my husband and I’ve mentioned her total life is we by no means count on you to be good, we simply count on you to attempt, and we’re pleased with you for no matter that making an attempt brings when it comes to accomplishments.”

Keira has internalized that message, and he or she mentioned her mother encourages her rather a lot. “Once I cannot do one thing, she tells me to do the perfect I can do,” mentioned Keira.

After Keira took a category about writing a youngsters’s ebook, Beckie inspired her to take her concept to fruition and publish it.

Working collectively throughout COVID

Identical to her expertise with basketball, the book-writing course of turned out to be extra difficult than she anticipated.

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“It took a very long time,” mentioned Keira. “I do know to lots of people, six months looks like a short while, however I assumed it might be completed in, like, three weeks, so it appeared actually lengthy.”

Together with her story concept in thoughts, Keira wanted somebody who might draw the images to make her youngsters’s ebook come alive. She had met MiguelAngel Rosales, who additionally has autism, in a graphic design class at Islands of Brilliance, a company that gives project-based studying and mentoring to folks with autism.

When Beckie reached out to MiguelAngel’s mother Talia, she was thrilled with the concept, and the 2 teenagers set to work on their ebook.

“This was throughout COVID, in order that they met over Zoom, after which put collectively a whole ebook by way of e-mail,” mentioned Beckie. “The tendency to focus to the exclusion of every thing else on one factor is usually seen as a unfavourable trait in autism. However they used that to their benefit once they made this ebook. They targeted, bought right down to their process and made it occur. It was unbelievable to look at.” 

Keira would ship MiguelAngel her imaginative and prescient for the subsequent a part of the story each week, and MiguelAngel (who makes use of they/them pronouns) would give their creative enter, and the 2 collaborators wrote and illustrated two pages per week till the story was completed.

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At first, Keira and MiguelAngel deliberate to make Mila, the protagonist of the ebook, an animal. However Keira mentioned they could not resolve on an animal in order that they went with a monster as a substitute.

MiguelAngel Rosales, who illustrated a children's book written by Keira Thompson, works on graphic design.

“Up to now, I’ve drawn a lot of pleasant, colourful animals like panthers and lions and llamas,” mentioned MiguelAngel. “However then we got here up with the concept of a colourful monster, and it turned out actually cute.”

Studying to deal with troublesome feelings

The collaboration was a studying expertise for each Keira and MiguelAngel, serving to them to advance their abilities in writing and drawing, but additionally their social abilities.

“I used to be actually excited as a result of it reveals how a lot MiguelAngel has matured,” mentioned Talia. “They would take recommendations from Keira however not take variations of opinion personally as a result of they understood that this was a collaboration. MiguelAngel was very affected person and accepted the suggestions.”

MiguelAngel agreed, noting their professionalism and remembering a “little bump within the highway” when their arduous drive died, however they figured it out and stored engaged on the ebook illustrations.

“You did not quit, identical to Mila!” Talia mentioned to MiguelAngel, laughing.

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The ebook challenge helped MiguelAngel as nicely as a result of it allowed them to give attention to artwork, one thing they’ve come to appreciate helps to manage their feelings.

“I have been drawing feelings recently so I haven’t got to make use of my mouth once I’m upset,” mentioned MiguelAngel. “It helps me filter what I do not wish to say. If I’ve a nasty time or I am in a nasty temper, drawing helps me really feel higher. It is like remedy.”

For Keira, basketball does one thing comparable — serving to her to give attention to one thing that is vital to her, even when there are “bumps within the highway.”

Keira Thompson, who wrote a children's book about her love of basketball, shows off a basketball trophy with her dad, John Thompson.

“At one among my first basketball video games, my mother invited my bodily therapist to look at the sport, and a boy knocked me over,” Keira remembered.

Beckie mentioned she, her husband and the bodily therapist checked out one another from the gang and thought, “Oh no, this is not going to go nicely.”

“The grown-ups all thought I used to be going to get upset and need to go dwelling as a result of I’ve by no means appreciated to get pushed into,” mentioned Keira. “However I simply bought up and ran to get the ball.”

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Keira is aware of these moments of making an attempt to cope with large feelings are relatable to all children, and he or she hopes to publish extra books about Mila, probably specializing in a unique emotion in every ebook.

Keira mentioned she has an concept for a ebook about conquering concern, and he or she thinks she’d name it “Mila and the Too Scary Coaster.”

Beckie thinks dad and mom can use the books to speak to their children about completely different feelings, and to encourage them to speak by way of feelings with trusted grown-ups.

“We inform Keira that any feeling you are having is OK, and if you happen to’re keen to share how you feel, collectively we are able to give you an answer,” mentioned Beckie. “Should you share with somebody you belief, you might have the aid of feeling rather less burdened and there is somebody who cares sufficient about you that will help you cope.”

Keira agrees together with her mother: “I attempt to inform my mother about what I am feeling.” Generally I cry rather a lot, however I inform my mother.”

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Contact Amy Schwabe at (262) 875-9488 or amy.schwabe@jrn.com. Comply with her on Twitter at @WisFamilyJS, Instagram at @wisfamilyjs or Fb at WisconsinFamily.





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The play of Madison Quest plus 4 other takeaways from the Wisconsin-Marquette spring volleyball match

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The play of Madison Quest plus 4 other takeaways from the Wisconsin-Marquette spring volleyball match


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MADISON – For the first time in couple of years, fans of the Wisconsin volleyball team really needed their roster.

This is a new-look Badgers squad. Ten of the 13 players on the roster are either new to the team or played sparingly last season. Two of them graduated high school early in order to enroll at UW in January and take part in spring semester workouts.

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Wednesday the team made its UW Field House debut by scoring a spring sweep of Marquette in a match that took 86 minutes to complete.

Senior outside hitter Mimi Colyer finished with 14 kills and a .219 hitting percentage in the 25-13, 25-19, 25-21 victory. DSHA graduate Madison Quest, one of the team’s early enrollees, finished with 12 kills and a .400 hitting percentage. Setter Charlie Fuerbringer finished with 35 assists and four aces.

Here are five takeaways from the match.

Madison Quest acquitted herself nicely at right-side hitter

Miami transfer Grace Lopez, who was set to play right-side hitter before suffering a season-ending knee injury last month, will be missed.

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Quest, however, is showing her versatility by moving from outside hitter to help fill the void. She started the match on fire, hitting 1.000 with six kills in the first set, and had eight kills and a .533 hitting percentage after the second set.

She played the backrow and made seven digs while having a reliable night of attacking from the backrow.

“She’s a mature player,” Badgers coach Kelly Sheffield said. “She’s serious. She wants to learn. She wants to get better. I enjoy coaching Mad Dog. It doesn’t matter that she is playing out of position. If I told her to go play middle or go set, she wouldn’t even blink.”

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Oregon transfer Mimi Colyer brings heat

Colyer’s hitting percentage for the match dipped because of a rough third set, but it’s clear she has that it factor that distinguishes All-American players from the rest. The ball comes off her swings differently.

Her night would have looked better, but she hit -.167 in the final set. She had 11 kills and a .450 hitting percentage through two sets and for the match was a solid passer from the backrow.

“What’s not to like, right?” Sheffield said when asked about Colyer’s play. “She’s an aircraft carrier and is able to take an awfully big load. … She approaches the game in a way that others want to be around her. They want to play with her. They want to compete with here and you see her getting more comfortable each week we’ve gone.”

Marquette’s Hattie Bray was on the mark

The Golden Eagles, who are about six weeks into Tom Mendoza’s tenure as head coach, finished the night with a .048 hitting percentage. Bray, a senior middle blocker, had the cleanest night, posting eight kills and a .316 hitting percentage.

She along with junior outside hitter Natalie Ring (six kills, -.111) are the Golden Eagles’ top returning hitters and Wednesday they were their team’s most active swingers.

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Maile Chan gets some work at libero

The Badgers have an all-Big Ten freshman libero returning in Lola Schumacher. But there is plenty of other help needed in the back row.

Chan, a rising sophomore, wore the libero jersey and handled a team-high 22 serves, posted a team-high 10 digs and had six assists. The Portland native had a couple of collisions in the back row, but it was a solid night for a player trying to have a larger role in 2025.

Sheffield said she did a pretty good job with a lot of room to get better.

“When you play that position you’ve got to command that position, you’ve got to command the court,”: Sheffield said. “There were some times where she was a little bit passive waiting for someone else to go get some balls. But she’s still in her freshman year. She didn’t play  a lot in the fall.”

Golden Eagles breaking in freshman setter

As a two-time All-American Yadhira Anchante left big shoes to fill at setter. The role was filled Wednesday by Isabella Haggard, who finished with 17 assists in a match when the Badgers’ serving made it touch on the Golden Eagles’ passers.

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Wisconsin football 2025 spring transfer portal window departure, commitment tracker

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Wisconsin football 2025 spring transfer portal window departure, commitment tracker


The spring transfer portal window officially opened today, April 16. Wisconsin is sure to be active as it makes a final push to bolster its roster entering the 2025 season.

Most notably, the Badgers enter the period with significant needs on the offensive side of the football. While the team seemingly aced the winter portal window, just in the last few days it lost starting left tackle Kevin Heywood to a torn ACL, and starting tight end Tanner Koziol (reportedly) and top depth wide receiver Mark Hamper to the portal.

Both Koziol and Hamper were headliners of Wisconsin’s winter transfer class. As is the case in the current era of college football, winter commitments are nowhere close to guaranteed to be on the roster in Week 1.

With those departures and Heywood’s long-term injury, the Badgers would do well to find a fill-in at left tackle and a dynamic starting tight end. Replacing those projected starters may be easier said than done, however, as the two projected to be among the offensive unit’s top three or four players.

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The spring portal window will remain open until April 25. Players have until that date to enter, while those in the portal have unlimited time to commit to a new program.

As the transfer window continues, here is an up-to-date tracker on all of Wisconsin’s incoming and outgoing movement:

(Last update: April 16, 7:50 a.m ET)

OUT: Wide receiver Quincy Burroughs

Burroughs was one of Wisconsin’s first transfer additions of the Luke Fickell era back in 2023, as he followed the head coach from Cincinnati. The veteran played sparingly during his two years with the program, totaling just five catches, 43 receiving yards and five special teams tackles. He was again projected as a depth option at wide receiver entering 2025, with significant talent and competition ahead of him in the room.

Here is more on Burroughs’ departure.

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OUT: Wide receiver Mark Hamper

Hamper joined Wisconsin this winter with significant fanfare. The rising sophomore was a Freshman All-American at the Football Championship Subdivision level in 2024, totaling 48 catches, 966 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Fellow winter transfer wide receiver Jayden Ballard has reportedly been a spring session standout, meaning Hamper was likely to enter the season as a primary depth option. That may have instigated his transfer decision.

Here is more on Hamper’s departure.

OUT: Tight end Tanner Koziol (not yet official)

Koziol transferred in this winter after several standout seasons at Ball State, including a 94-catch, 839-yard, 8-touchdown 2024 campaign. He projected to be one of Wisconsin’s top receiving threats as new coordinator Jeff Grimes transitioned the program back to a pro-style offense. After just four months with the program, Koziol is reportedly off to a new destination.

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Tucker Ashcraft is the next up at tight end. The position should rise near the top of Wisconsin’s transfer pursuits, as Ashcraft has just 20 total catches, 168 yards and two touchdowns over the last two seasons. Due to the lack of a top-end backup option, Koziol was one player Wisconsin couldn’t afford to lose.

Here is more on Koziol’s departure.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion





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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear


MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin offensive tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to miss all of the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice.

Heywood, the Badgers’ projected starter at left tackle, hurt his knee in practice Thursday. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell revealed the severity of the injury on Tuesday.

“That was one that’s going to be really difficult and tough, but it’s also part of the game,” Fickell said. “We’ve been fortunate up front in the last two seasons to have those guys prepared and be able to last through the season. Now we’re going to have to figure out how we’re going to manage some of that and move some other guys around and expect some other guys to step up, whether it’s Leyton Nelson, an Emerson Mandell, guys like that have got to step in.”

Wisconsin had benefited from remarkable stability on its offensive line during the first two years of Fickell’s tenure.

The Badgers had the same starting offensive line for each of its 12 games last year, with Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle. Brunner, Renfro and Mahlman are back this year.

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Wisconsin also had the same starting offensive line for all 12 of its regular-season games in 2023, with Nelson at left tackle, Huber at left guard, Tanor Bortolini at center, Michael Furtney at right guard and Mahlman at right tackle. The only change that season came in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU, with Renfro getting to start after missing the entire regular season with an injury to his lower left leg.

Heywood was expected to take over this season for Nelson, who had started at left tackle each of the last three years. Heywood had participated in all 12 games for Wisconsin last year while playing special teams and making occasional appearances on offense.

His injury represents a setback for a Wisconsin team seeking to bounce back after its streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances ended last year. The Badgers finished 5-7 last season and lost their final five games.



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